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10 Things to know for Monday, Jan. 7

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. OBAMA’S CONTROVERSIAL DEFENSE PICK
The president is nominating former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel defense secretary as leading Republicans announce their opposition. OBAMA-NATIONAL SECURITY

2. A ‘MINI-TRIAL’ FOR COLORADO THEATER SHOOTING SUSPECT
As experts predict a plea deal, James Holmes’ weeklong preliminary hearing may be the closest thing to his trial over the rampage that killed 12 people. COLORADO SHOOTING

3. LESS INTEREST IN GUN BUYS IN STATES WITH MASS SHOOTINGS
An AP analysis finds requests for background checks late last year were among the lowest in Colorado and Connecticut. GUNS-BACKGROUND CHECKS

4. HOW EUROPE’S UNIVERSITIES PREPARE STUDENTS
Graduates say they feel untrained to even make professional calls in the workplace after leaving school. CLASS OF 2012-FAILING UNIVERSITIES

5. CLINTON GOES BACK TO WORK
The secretary of state is meeting with deputies Monday, more than a week after she was hospitalized with a blood clot. CLINTON

6. GOOGLE VENTURES INTO NORTH KOREA
Google CEO Eric Schmidt arrived Monday for a “humanitarian mission” in a country with notoriously restrictive Internet policies. NKOREA-GOOGLE

7. WHO WON SPAIN’S $1.1 BILLION LOTTERY
The annual “El Nino” jackpot was split among ticket holders in five regions, including Madrid. SPAIN-LOTTERY

8. 27-INCH TABLET TO DEBUT AT GADGET SHOW
The IdeaCentre Horizon Table PC is the size of a coffee table and allows four people to use it simultaneously. GADGET SHOW-LENOVO-COFFEE-TABLE TABLET

9. WHERE YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT HOW YOU LOOK AT THE GYM
A new Dallas fitness club only allows members who are at least 50 pounds overweight and has no mirrors inside. OVERWEIGHT GYMS

10. COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S BIG TEST
No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama will have to play nothing less than a classic to match the hype for Monday night’s national championship. T25-BCS CHAMPIONSHIP